Unai Emery issues strong warning to clubs amid links to Aston Villa's in-form midfielder Douglas Luiz
Unai Emery issued a hands-off warning on Douglas Luiz after the midfielder helped Villa climb into the Premier League top four.
Luiz’s form has been key to Villa’s stunning start to the season and is believed to be a target for Arsenal, who previously saw three bids for the Brazil international rejected in 2022.
But Emery has no desire to see the 25-year-old, who has since signed a contract at Villa Park through to 2026, depart anytime soon.
He said: “Douglas is playing very good and he improves a lot. His commitment is amazing. I am very happy with him and I want to keep him, of course.
“I think he’s happy with us, his commitment with his national team and his performances like today are amazing, fantastic. I want him.”
Emery, meanwhile, felt a tactical half-time tweak was key to Villa’s comeback to beat Tottenham and move into the Champions League positions.
Villa were fortunate to be level at half-time after Pau Torres’ equaliser cancelled out Giovani Lo Celso’s opener but the introduction of Leon Bailey and Youri Tielemens at the break led to a much improved second half performance.
Tielemans set up Ollie Watkins for the winning goal and Emery said: “We were struggling on the right side and tactically it was my correction.
“I needed to make a decision to correct it. Offensively as well, we weren’t attacking on the right like we were on the left. Cash was a risk on a yellow card, and the solution was Leon Bailey and Youri Tielemans, trying to get two players different. One did the passes and the other for the running. They did it.”
Villa have now picked up 77 points in 38 league matches under Emery.
When asked what was making his team so special, he replied: “The commitment. When we need defensively to be together, the commitment when we have to be as well demanding in the mentality to win.
"We struggle together, enjoy together and try to be always in good connection with our supporters.”
"We will continue being demanding, being as well focused each match. Of course, in 38 matches a lot of things can still happen.
"We have to be happy and enjoy, but we have to be as well demanding in our thinking."
